1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data processing and in particular to file management. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method, system and computer program product for keeping files current.
2. Description of Related Art
“Network computing” in a literal sense means an environment wherein a number of computers and/or peripheral devices are connected together by a communication medium (whether it be a wired or wireless medium). Additionally, the term “network” also means a communication network for transmitting data between devices that are connected to the network, such as computers, printers, storage devices and the like. There are diverse forms of networks that range from a local area type, such as a local area network (LAN), to a wide area type such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and further to the “Internet” that has grown to a large collection of global networks as a result of interconnecting respective servers.
A LAN is a smallest unit of a network, which is autonomously operated/managed by an independent organization, such as a college or research institution to cover a relatively narrow area, e.g., a single campus or the like. Supported with the price reduction of communication equipment reflecting the evolution of semiconductor technologies and the enhanced functions of communication software, LANs have been primarily used in areas, such as in the research/development arenas, for the purpose of sharing computer resources, sharing/distribution of information and the like.
Wide area networks (WANs), on the other hand, are, in a simplistic sense, a larger collection of LANs wherein the servers that service each individual LAN are interconnected to create a larger network environment. Thus the services, e.g., sharing/distribution of information, are made available on a much larger global arena.
The emergence of wide area network systems, such as the Internet, has increased the accessibility of information. Connected users within these network systems have access to useful information that is made publicly available from locations, or sites, such as research facilities and libraries. These publicly available information are typically downloaded by a user, e.g., in the form of ZIP and PDF files, that are then saved on the user's memory storage devices, e.g., hard disk drive and writeable CDROM.
The files that have been downloaded may typically reside in the user's memory devices for extended periods of time prior to the information contained in those files being accessed by the user. During this extended period of time, which may be months or years, the information may become outdated or updates may exist that correct errors that have been identified in the version of the file that was downloaded. Furthermore, with the passage of time, the user may not remember the location from where the file originated and determining that location may be a difficult, if not impossible, task if the user decides to check for an updated or newer version.